Posted on Jan 14, 2017
The Other Side of the COIN: The Russians in Chechnya | Small Wars Journal
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"It is this author’s contention that the authoritarian nature of the modern Russian state allowed the adoption of tactics which were highly effective in ending the insurgency but would be anathema to Western COIN practitioners. These methods will be elaborated on in the third part of this article and include: stage-managing the presentation of the war for the domestic audience to win popular support and terrorizing the Chechen population to make the cost of supporting the insurgency prohibitively high. In order to illustrate this argument, this article has been divided into three sections: a brief history of the conflict and its context, an evaluation of the problems facing the Russians and an assessment of the four key factors which enabled the Russian victory. "
The Other Side of the COIN: The Russians in Chechnya | Small Wars Journal
Posted from smallwarsjournal.com
Strategy
Operations
COIN (Counterinsurgency)
Russia
Lessons Learned
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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Reminds me of Col Hackworth's take in COIN. "Grab them by the balls and their hearts and minds will follow."
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With the number of Chechyn "foreign fighters" turning up elsewhere one has to ask how successful the Russians were. If i'm not mistaken there are still insurgencies in Georgia and the Caucuses as well.
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LTC Eric Udouj
In Georgia - it is not Georgia proper that has the issues...... it is the "other" areas that are Russian ruled. The Caucus is yet again an issue for the Russians as both AQ and IS thrive there. Alot of info in regards to their recruiting and structuring.....
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Sgt Wayne Wood
LTC Eric Udouj - yeah... it's that mountainous "grey" area that neither wants and it barely controlled.
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LTC Eric Udouj I have always been a big fan of COIN. Win the hearts and minds of the people. Cut off their ability to recruit.
The Russian version always seems to be more hardlined and forceful. Not sure how many hearts and minds are won this way, rather than forceful converts.
The Russian version always seems to be more hardlined and forceful. Not sure how many hearts and minds are won this way, rather than forceful converts.
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LTC Eric Udouj
They failed the first round in the Yeltsin War - and not just minor fail. How they changed tactics - and applied force the 2d round is great read... as is the why. COIN is a product of the country your in and the insurgency you face - it is never the same - and there is a vast difference between how it is engaged... vast difference.
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SSgt (Join to see)
LTC Eric Udouj - and a long process. We, unfortunately, wanted it to work as soon as it was implemented - thank you 30 minutes serials.
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CW3 Cherif L.
LTC Eric Udouj - That's something we never quite grasped in Iraq with the cultural and sectarian and tribal differences. We tried the "one size fits all approach" and kept wondering why what was working in one province never quite caught in the next. A smart man learns from his mistakes, a wise man learns from others.
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